Comments on: Tuesday Snippets

By: PT

PT — Wed, 09 May 2007 03:59:46 +0000

I don ‘t know what you guys can’t see…..Saabs are great for carrying knitting or speeding to late nite scrapbooking sessions. You can put a lot of home-made candles in the back of a 95 wagon too.

Who needs outdoor sports when you can have quilters?

By: Danni

Danni — Wed, 09 May 2007 03:44:38 +0000

1985 Gripen – be very careful when you use the word “most”.

Also, Saab is being made available in almost the entire global platform where the General has presence. Even in Mauritius, no wait a minute, even in Namibia! We have ‘em in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Mauritius. I am only talking about Africa. Yes, the numbers are small, but indeed the presence is there.

The ironic part here is that none of this ownership has anything to do with people who visit air shows or arts and craft exhibitions. The marketing and branding portfolio here in Africa is completely different to mainland Europe or the developed countries including the USA where consumers could be buying them out of wealth and not necessarily as a traveling companion, but an educated guess at that.

By: ctm

ctm — Wed, 09 May 2007 00:43:58 +0000

“As for the arts and crafts things, maybe this is a way to reach out to the gay community (which has the money).”

Eh, what?

For me, arts and crafts is a good market to go after and in line with Saab being so good on design. Just look at the ad material. They usually win awards for them. Of course they appeal to people interested in design. Let’s face it: lots of people (like myself) has bougt a Saab partly because they are good-looking cars. I have an interest in design and would never ever buy something that have been designed carefully. People who (as an example) collect art, often have money to buy a Saab – and maby also a freedom of the mind to do so.

1985Gripen:
Good point about BFJ and sales data. It may (as some Saab people said) be a very successful camping in terms of marketing, but if it doesn’t generate sales then it’s basically of no value.

By: sethsev7n

sethsev7n — Wed, 09 May 2007 00:07:36 +0000

As far as air shows go, I think its a great idea but not far enough. Saab and Salomon sponsor ski events around the world together, but I’d like to see more in the sport arena. We might not have the hatch back yet, but we have the combi and we can push the practicality. I want to see more Saabs as the official car of ski resorts (once we get AWD this NEEDS to happen, we need it to fight Audi and Subaru), and sponsoring other sporting events like cycling, kayaking, climbing, etc. I can sort of understand the arts and crafts thing, whatever exactly that is — but the point is that from the 90s until today, Saabs appeal to artists and outdoor athletes, and many of their marketing efforts did focus on that once apon a time, and I think that focus needs to be regained again, but larger and more directed this time.

By: Talonderiel

Talonderiel — Tue, 08 May 2007 22:50:15 +0000

1985 Gripen, as for the airshows (especially the ones on a military base)… This is a good way to reach out to those currently serving. I’ve noticed a high level of Saab’s with active duty military (both with European deliver… which saves big bucks if stationed in Europe and with domestic sales). GM has an awesome program that saves active duty military alot of money. That’s definitely how I’m gonna’ afford my first Saab… and alot of hard work put in too!!

As for the arts and crafts things, maybe this is a way to reach out to the gay community (which has the money).

IMHO I still think the best way to get the name out there is to get back into Rallying.

Swade, sorry about the article… It’s been crazy mad for me getting ready for this deployment with the Navy. I should have that article to you in the next couple days.

~ Talon

By: Twat

Twat — Tue, 08 May 2007 20:00:39 +0000

One the arts and crafts This maybe a misprint and suppost to mean art house and design exhibition, probably more like what they do in oz where they sponsor both of these quite regularly which are attended by people who are design orientated and have the means to atain a SAAB.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 08 May 2007 19:42:26 +0000

I wasn’t really referring to BFJ, I was talking about Saab’s airplane heritage in general. I’m not saying air shows should be the ONLY place to show off Saabs, but they should be there also to reinforce the jet thing.

By: 1985 Gripen

1985 Gripen — Tue, 08 May 2007 19:09:04 +0000

Jeff, while the “Born From Jets” campaign has been called enormously successful due to slogan recognition, it’s hardly made a blip on U.S. SAAB sales.

Since the BFJ campaign began, I’d hazard a guess that overall sales have not increased significantly, and may have even sagged.

That’s not really a successful campaign, IMHO.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 08 May 2007 19:06:16 +0000

Saab used to be part of a company that made jets, where else would you pu the cars? Sure, most people at air shows aren’t going to go out and buy Saabs, but some will, because some people like things related to jets.

By: 1985 Gripen

1985 Gripen — Tue, 08 May 2007 18:56:14 +0000

Outdoors and “extreme” sports events would be another place to advertise.

Cycling events, marathons, triathlons, or X-Games type events where outdoorsy individualist-type people like to congregate would be ideal, IMHO.

We know from posts here and at SAAB Central that a lot of SAAB owners enjoy cycling. There was a partnership with the Gary Fisher mountain bike team a few years back where you could buy a special Gary Fisher edition SAAB 9-5 Sport Wagon and the team used a 9-5 wagon as the team vehicle. I’d like to see more partnerships like this and it can’t be all that expensive. That way you’re targeting your audience to people who are already more likely to have a positive attitude toward SAAB rather than trying to convert people.